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Mandatory recount will determine winner of District 37 state representative election

By Steve Ramirez/sramirez@lcsun-news.com

Posted:
11/07/2012 03:42:19 PM MST

LAS CRUCES - As of 3:30 p.m. today, only one vote separated the winner from the loser of Tuesday's election for the state representative District 37 seat.

Chief Deputy County Clerk Mario Jimenez said hand-tallied absentee ballots counted today, with ballots from Tuesday's general election, now shows that Joanne Ferrary's lead against Dr. Terry McMillan in the election has gone from a 12-vote lead when final unofficial results from 39 voting convenience centers and absentee ballots were released about 12:30 a.m. today.

"This one race will come down to the canvass," said Jimenez, of a canvass of Tuesday's election results that will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday at the Doña Ana County Government Center.

Because of the close margin of the race between Ferrary and McMillan, Jimenez added a state-mandated recount will be conducted. None of the other races in Doña Ana County will require a recount, unless a formal challenge to those outcomes is filed with the County Clerk's office.

Check back later for more details on this story.

Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452. Also follow him on Twitter: @SteveRamirez6